Having done Lasting Power of Attorney & a will I'm thinking about what I own & I realise that the answer is nothing. I don't own my family or friends, they have completely free choice to be with me or not. Friendship should be a two way street, so I just hope I can be a good friend to them & be interested in their lives & they will want to reciprocate.
Ownership of material things can only be temporary. I can't take any of it with me when I die. So I think I need to look at the stuff I have & start giving more of it away. Especially if someone else will be pleased to have it, or it can raise money for people who need help. Having lost almost everything 3 years ago when my house & contents were severely damaged by a mains water leak from the loft while we were on holiday, I realise that there isn't much I am deeply attached to anyway.
As for the house & garden - a house is a shelter & a home. I could probably make a life anywhere really, so long as I had friends & family - and books & music. I live alone, I don't need to please anyone else.
So much of the trouble in life is caused by people fighting, literally, to retain something, land or property. One of the most insidious things people fight for is power of some sort. If we really accepted that we begin & end life with nothing, we might be a little more generous in spirit.
The things that do matter are often free. The snowdrops that are blooming in clumps all round my garden. A beautiful sunny or snowy day. The view from the top of a mountain. The sound of a river meandering along a valley. Sharing your life with someone you love. Conversations with friends. A cheery fire and a good book on a cold day. I could go on and on.....
Maybe this revelation and clarity only comes as we age & begin to realise how unimportant a lot of life is. By then the mistakes are made, but hopefully they have provided valuable lesons.
Ownership of material things can only be temporary. I can't take any of it with me when I die. So I think I need to look at the stuff I have & start giving more of it away. Especially if someone else will be pleased to have it, or it can raise money for people who need help. Having lost almost everything 3 years ago when my house & contents were severely damaged by a mains water leak from the loft while we were on holiday, I realise that there isn't much I am deeply attached to anyway.
As for the house & garden - a house is a shelter & a home. I could probably make a life anywhere really, so long as I had friends & family - and books & music. I live alone, I don't need to please anyone else.
So much of the trouble in life is caused by people fighting, literally, to retain something, land or property. One of the most insidious things people fight for is power of some sort. If we really accepted that we begin & end life with nothing, we might be a little more generous in spirit.
The things that do matter are often free. The snowdrops that are blooming in clumps all round my garden. A beautiful sunny or snowy day. The view from the top of a mountain. The sound of a river meandering along a valley. Sharing your life with someone you love. Conversations with friends. A cheery fire and a good book on a cold day. I could go on and on.....
Maybe this revelation and clarity only comes as we age & begin to realise how unimportant a lot of life is. By then the mistakes are made, but hopefully they have provided valuable lesons.
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